We here at FASHIONOTES appreciate all the forms the relationship between fashion and digital can take: whether it’s a new app, a viral campaign or stunning designs that take their cues from digital imagery, like those of Mary Katrantzou. With only three years of industry experience, it’s her impeccable eye for pattern and her way of creating digital-esque designs that have us so excited.
Originally from Greece, Katrantzou attended Rhode Island School of Design and went on to complete both her BA and MA at Central Saint Martins. She’s worked for names like Sophia Kokosalaki and Bill Blass, and just last year was awarded the Emerging Talent – Ready-to-Wear award at the British Fashion Awards.
From the Scents Series, FW09
For her debut collection shown in London back in 2009, Katrantzou sent out a group of dresses based on prints of perfume bottles.
The Scents Series was inspired by a collection of bottles she owned growing up in Athens, and from seeing the way the female form has inspired the packaging of perfumes by Givenchy and Gaultier. Making it a habit to pattern clothes based on photorealist prints, Katrantzou has said of the collection, “Some are iconic bottles, like Shalimar, that I’ve tweaked, and some are vintages bottles I’ve played around with. And some bottles I’ve only imagined.”
From the SS10 Collection
Her Spring/Summer 2010 collection completely embodied the shift from mechanical screen printing to the computer manipulation of color and pattern achievable through playing around with pixels and ink jet printers. Her wavy, multicolored trompe l’oeil patterns, reminiscent of blown glass, seemed softer than her Scents Series but no less digitally inspired.
From the FW12 Collection
For her Fall/Winter 2010 collection, and most recent collection yet, Katrantzou chose more literal subject matter, such as grass, No. 2 HB pencils, typewriters and clocks to adorn her dresses.
Using repetition and serial patterning, her FW12 dresses seemed to have a 3D aspect to them. Each dress looked as though Katrantzou had covered it with a college she might have created in Photoshop. The crisp, clear imagery and trompe l’oeil placement and symmetry made the graphic images pop.
While she’s already collaborated with Topshop three times for exclusive collections, Katrantzou has recently signed a two season partnership with Vodafone UK.
The new collaboration will allow fans exclusive access to Katrantzou’s London Fashion Week show, as well as the chance to meet her backstage. The partnership will launch in September will follow the designer for her SS13 and FW13 shows. Of the deal, Katrantzou said:
“I am excited to be working with Vodafone, as a brand they have really cemented their credibility and support within the fashion industry over the past few seasons. Their innovation elements really appeal to me and it felt like a natural fit to join forces. I’m really looking forward to be able to widen the fashion net to their customers and bring them to the front of line fashion week.”
Well, if her previous shows are any indication, we are sure her up coming London shows will be amazing. We look forward to more digital inspired looks and her new digital mobile partnership!
